The Digital Archive

Digital Archive CDAD-UH 1063

Suphan Kirmizialtin

suphan@nyu.edu

office location: A6-191

office hours: TBA


Course Description

How do digital technologies impact efforts to archive human experience and culture? How do they change how we access that archive? In the age of ubiquitous smart devices, when we are all curators of digital content, what constitutes the digital archive? This course explores the implications of digital archive creation tools and practices for historical memory and understanding. Students will conduct reviews of digital archives and online repositories and will be invited to assess the role of digitization in the construction of history and memory. Focusing on the curatorial and technical decisions underlying digitization processes and the ways in which these decisions determine what is discoverable, accessible, and searchable, students will be introduced to relevant terms and concepts, such as metadata creation, machine-readable data, open access, the digital divide, algorithmic bias, the possibilities and the ethics of crowdsourcing, distant reading, etc. Offering a gentle introduction to computer-readable corpus creation and text analytics, the course takes a Humanities approach to interrogating digital tools and platforms we encounter on a daily basis.

Learning Outcomes

  • identify and reflect critically on the ethical complexity of algorithmic and curatorial choices when creating digital archives and collections

  • learn the discrepancies in digital knowledge bases and inequalities in digital infrastructures across different cultures and areas of the world

  • critically interrogate the impact of digital data and platforms on creating the historical record of the human experience and culture

  • develop the ability to create machine-readable corpora and use quantitative methods to implement introductory level corpus analytics

  • develop the skills to curate online exhibits

  • practice effective communication skills in research blogging, in oral presentation and discussion leading, and in presenting a research project in oral and written format

Teaching&Learning Methodologies

The Digital Archive_S22 is a discussion-based, seminar-style course where students are expected to complete the readings and other assigned material before class in preparation for actively participating in class discussions.

On most Tuesdays, I will be briefly talking about the assigned course material(readings, videos, or podcasts), highlighting the main points and their relevance to our topic(s). You are expected to come prepared to join the conversation by having completed the reading+listening assignments before class. Depending on the schedule, Tuesdays are also the days on which we will be experimenting with the tools and platforms identified on the schedule for that week.

Most Thursdays will be devoted to student presentations and discussion leading and to following up on the tools/topics or assignments from the previous meeting(s).


The last portion of the course is designed as a project-based, hands-on learning period during which you will learn and practice using certain digital tools and platforms that will also facilitate creating and completing your final project.


The assignments and course material are arranged in a way that gives you plenty of opportunities to practice your oral presentation and communication skills as well as 21st-century writing competencies, such as creating blog posts with an academic focus but written for a non-expert, popular audience.


Finally, you may expect to be assigned up to 50 pages of readings on a weekly basis. Some readings will be geared towards professional archivists and academicians while others will be pieces written for a broader, non-specialized audience. You will find it a stimulating and useful intellectual endeavor to engage with these different writing styles and content. I highly encourage you to take notes while reading in preparation for class discussion. (We will talk about note-taking in the first week of the semester)

Submitting Work

You will post your assignments on your Google Site. (We will talk about how to create your own site in the first week of the semester) Your personal website is not only going to be a medium to share your work with me. It is an integral component of the course and is going to be the environment in which you will build your own digital archive. I encourage you to get creative with it! (see Additional Sources for Creative Commons licensed images&audio-visual material)

Course Policies

NYUAD policy states that we are not allowed to share the contents of remote and in-person delivery, including online discussions in chat groups, live online meetings, pre-recorded lectures, or in-person meetings. No screenshots, photos, recordings, excerpts, or any other format of the course content and class interactions may be shared with others outside of the course.


Punctuality and Absences

This is a discussion-based class that depends on the active engagement of each class member. Each unexcused absence will result in your final grade dropping one point, i.e. from A to A-, or from B- to C+. Excused absences include documented illnesses and emergencies (e.g. injury or death in the family); unexcused absences include oversleeping, extra-curricular activities, and non-emergency-related travel. More than three unexcused absences will result in your failing the class.

Likewise, active engagement is impossible if you don’t show up on time. If you are going to be late for some necessary reason, please let me know via email or in the prior class beforehand. I will be taking note of late arrivals; tardiness on a regular basis will negatively affect your participation grade.

Camera Usage During Class*

(*quoted from Office of External Relations January 20, 2022 Return to Campus Memo)


"Face-to-face interaction, even in a remote setting, is an important element for teaching and learning. Students are therefore expected to participate in synchronous classes with their video cameras turned on and with their preferred name registered on Zoom.

Exceptions to this expectation should be discussed with the faculty member or course instructor. Our Academic Technology team is also available for support to address any connectivity issues students may have. Faculty have the authority to require the camera to be turned on during class time. "

Academic Integrity

At NYU Abu Dhabi, a commitment to excellence, fairness, honesty, and respect within and outside the classroom is essential to maintaining the integrity of our community. By accepting membership in this community, students, faculty, and staff take responsibility for demonstrating these values in their own conduct and for recognizing and supporting these values in others. In turn, these values create a campus climate that encourages the free exchange of ideas, promotes scholarly excellence through active and creative thought, and allows community members to achieve and be recognized for achieving their highest potential.

Students should be aware that engaging in behaviors that violate the standards of academic integrity will be subject to review and may face the imposition of penalties in accordance with the procedures set out in the NYUAD policy: https://students.nyuad.nyu.edu/campus-life/student-policies/community-standards-policies/academic-integrity/


Plagiarism

Plagiarism is a serious offense which might elicit a disciplinary action by the university.

If you are unsure about the difference between fair use and plagiarism , see http://nyu.libguides.com/content.php?pid=27555&sid=200118


Mental Health Awareness

As a University student, you may experience a range of issues that can interfere with your ability to perform academically or impact your daily functioning, such as: heightened stress; anxiety; difficulty concentrating; sleep disturbance; strained relationships; grief and loss; personal struggles.

If you have any well-being or mental health concerns please visit the Counseling Center on the ground floor of the campus center from 9am-5pm Sunday - Thursday, or schedule an appointment to meet with a counselor by calling: 02-628-8100, or emailing: nyuad.healthcenter@nyu.edu.

If you require mental health support outside of these hours call NYU's Wellness Exchange hotline at 02-628-5555, which is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can also utilize the Wellness Exchange mobile chat feature, details of which you can find on the student portal. If you need help connecting to these supports please contact me directly.